2025-04-03

How to play Blackjack Perfect Pairs

Perfect pairs is one of the most widely used side bets in blackjack. It refers to receiving two of the same cards at the beginning of the game. As both cards are the same, they are a ‘perfect’ pair. Because it pertains to the first two cards that players receive, this is an optional side bet placed before the cards are dealt.

In blackjack, perfect pairs is an easy side bet to understand. If you place the bet and receive a perfect pair of cards in the first two dealt, you win!

What is the perfect pairs side bet in blackjack?

The first thing to understand when learning how to play a perfect pair in blackjack is that the side bet is optional. You are not required to make it, even if other players at the table choose to do so. You place the bet before any cards are dealt. Once the hands have been dealt, you cannot make this side bet.

Perfect pairs is a side bet that’s separate from the main blackjack game, be it a live casino dealer or a home game. It doesn’t pertain to anything happening in the game except the first two cards that players are dealt. It is possible to win this side bet and lose the main game, and vice versa.

Types of perfect pairs and their payouts

While the perfect pair side bet is easy to understand, remember that there are three different types of perfect pairs: perfect pair, coloured pair and mixed pair. We’ve already discussed the perfect pair, so let’s take a look at some blackjack perfect pairs tips for the other two.

A coloured perfect pair consists of two cards of the same colour and rank, but different suits. An eight of clubs and an eight of spades, for example, are a coloured perfect pair. The mixed perfect pair refers to two cards of the same rank, but different suits and colours. Think of the jack of hearts and the jack of spades.

Each type of perfect pair has its own payout. These can vary slightly from table to table, but in general, you can count on the following payouts:

Perfect pair (25:1)
Coloured pair (12:1)
Mixed pair (6:1)

As you can see, the perfect pair nets players the most profit, while the mixed pair offers the least.

How to place a perfect pairs bet

As we mentioned briefly above, perfect pair bets must be placed before the dealer deals any cards. This is separate from your main blackjack table game wager, so you will need to pay for each separately.

Side bet wagers and main wagers might have different minimum and maximum betting limits, so make sure that you enquire about these before you decide to bet. Some casinos might set the side bet limits to be smaller or larger than the main wager.

Perfect pairs strategy: is it worth the risk?

Are you wondering what to do with a perfect pair in blackjack? If so, you aren’t alone. The side bet might seem like a no-brainer, but there are a few things to know before you wager. First, perfect pairs is a high-risk side bet with a significant house edge, usually ranging from 6% to 11%, but potentially even higher depending on the casino game provider in question. This is different from standard blackjack, where the house edge can be whittled to less than 1% with the right strategies.

Probability of hitting a perfect pair

Landing perfect pairs in blackjack is incredibly rare. The exact probability depends largely on how many decks are being used, but typically hovers between 1% and 2%. You are more likely than not to lose the wager, in other words, making it a high-risk, high-reward bet.

When to consider playing the perfect pairs bet

As landing a perfect pair is so rare, you only want to do it if you have either a better-than-average payout or a desire for what could be a fun side bet with the potential for big rewards. The latter, in particular, is important due to the low probability of winning.

When to avoid the perfect pairs bet

Because of the high house edge and low likelihood of a win, perfect pairs is typically not recommended for players who focus on minimising losses. This side bet can also drain your bankroll quickly, especially if payouts are low.